Protestantism
Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes justification of sinners through faith alone, the teaching that salvation comes by unmerited divine grace, the priesthood of all believers, and the Bible as the sole infallible source of authority for Christian faith and practice. The five ''solae'' summarize the basic theological beliefs of mainstream Protestantism.Protestants follow the theological tenets of the Protestant Reformation, a movement that began in the 16th century with the goal of reforming the Catholic Church from perceived errors, abuses, and discrepancies. The Reformation began in the Holy Roman Empire).}} in 1517, when Martin Luther published his ''Ninety-five Theses'' as a reaction against abuses in the sale of indulgences by the Catholic Church, which purported to offer the remission of the temporal punishment of sins to their purchasers. Luther's statements questioned the Catholic Church's role as negotiator between people and God, especially when it came to the indulgence arrangement, which in part granted people the power to purchase a certificate of pardon for the penalization of their sins. Luther argued against the practice of buying or earning forgiveness, claiming instead that salvation is a gift God gives to those who have faith.
Lutheranism spread from Germany into Denmark–Norway, Sweden, Finland, Livonia, and Iceland. Calvinist churches spread in Germany, Hungary, the Netherlands, Scotland, Switzerland, France, Poland and Lithuania, led by Protestant Reformers such as John Calvin, Huldrych Zwingli and John Knox. The political separation of the Church of England from the Catholic Church under King Henry VIII began Anglicanism, bringing England and Wales into this broad Reformation movement, under the leadership of reformer Thomas Cranmer, whose work forged Anglican doctrine and identity.
Protestantism is divided into various denominations on the basis of theology and ecclesiology. Protestants adhere to the concept of an invisible church, in contrast to the Catholic, the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Oriental Orthodox Churches, the Assyrian Church of the East, and the Ancient Church of the East, which all understand themselves as the only original church—the "one true church"—founded by Jesus Christ (though certain Protestant denominations, including historic Lutheranism, hold to this position). A majority of Protestants}} are members of a handful of Protestant denominational families, which consist of Historic/mainline Protestantism, schismatic Protestantism, and Evangelical Protestantism , Historic/ traditional Protestants are Anglicans/Episcopalians, Baptists, Calvinist/Reformed, It includes Presbyterianism, Congregationalism, many of united and uniting churches, as well as historic Continental Reformed churches in France, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Germany, Hungary, and elsewhere.}} Lutherans, Methodists, Moravians, and Presbyterians. Schismatic or radical reformation groups are Adventists, Anabaptists, Pentecostals, Plymouth Brethren, Quakers and Waldensians. Nondenominational, charismatic and independent churches are also on the rise, having recently expanded rapidly throughout much of the world, and constitute a significant part of Evangelical Protestantism. These various movements, collectively labeled "popular Protestantism" by scholars such as Peter L. Berger, have been called one of the contemporary world's most dynamic religious movements.
Independent churches and unaffiliated Christians are considered Evangelical Protestants. As of 2025, there are nearly 1.2 billion Protestants worldwide, including over 628 million traditional Protestants, consisting of the 7 mainline protestant denominations, ABCUSA, PCUSA, UCC, UMC, LCMS, RCA, and the Episcopal church. There are also 409 million Christian independents, and around 151 million unaffiliated Christians. Provided by Wikipedia
-
1
-
2Leopoldville : Congo Protestant Council,v. : ill.“...Congo Protestant Council...”
-
3Published 1860Springfield, O., Methodist Protestant Pub. House, 1860.648 p.“...Methodist Protestant Church...”
-
4Published 1854Baltimore, President and Directors, Book Concern, Meth. Prot. Church, 1854.641 p.“...Methodist Protestant Church...”
-
5Published 1840New York : Published by the Protestant Episcopal Tract Society, 1840-v. ; 18 cm.“...Protestant Episcopal Tract Society...”
-
6Published 1823New York, T. & J. Swords, 1823.8 p.“...Protestant Episcopal Tract Society...”
-
7by Wilson, Thomas, 1663-1755
Published 1841New York : Protestant Episcopal Tract Society, 1841.36 p. ; 18 cm.“...Protestant Episcopal Tract Society...”
-
8Published 1875Chicago : The Asylum, 1875-v. : ill.“...Chicago Protestant Orphan Asylum...”
-
9Philadelphia : The Hospital,v. : ill.“...Hospital of the Protestant Episcopal Church in Philadelphia...”
-
10[London] : National Protestant Union, [18--]7 p. ; 21 cm.“...National Protestant Union (Great Britain)...”
-
11Published 1913Philadelphia [Pa.] : Press of Wm. J. Dornan, 1913-v., leaves of plates : ill. ; 24 cm.“...Hospital of the Protestant Episcopal Church in Philadelphia...”
-
12Seoul, [s.n.]v. ill. 27 cm.“...Federal Council of Protestant Evangelical Missions in Korea...”
-
13by Turner, Samuel Hulbeart, 1790-1861
Published 1851New York : Protestant Episcopal Society for the Promotion of Evangelical Knowledge, 1851.65 p. ; 18 cm.“...Protestant Episcopal Society for the Promotion of Evangelical Knowledge...”
-
14by Tyng, Stephen H. (Stephen Higginson), 1800-1885
Published 1857New-York, Protestant Episcopal Society for the Promotion of Evangelical Knowledge, 1857.x, 387 p. 20 cm.“...Protestant Episcopal Society for the Promotion of Evangelical Knowledge...”
-
15by Cameron, Mrs. (Lucy Lyttelton), 1781-1858
Published 1820New York (Depository, Press Buildings, No. 46 Lumber Street) : General Protestant Episcopal Sunday School Union, [between 1820 and 1830?]24 p. : ill. ; 14 cm.“...General Protestant Episcopal Sunday School Union...”
-
16[Seoul : Federal Council of Evangelical Missons in Korea]v. : ill., ports.“...Federal Council of Protestant Evangelical Missions in Korea...”
-
17Seoul [s.n.]1 online resource (v.) : ill.“...Federal Council of Protestant Evangelical Missions in Korea...”
Center for Research Libraries: v.27 (1931)
Online Resource -
18Published 1934Léopoldville-Ouest, Congo Belge, London, New York, Conseil protestant du Congo; International Missionary Council [1934]68 p. (port.) plates. 22 cm.“...Congo Protestant Council...”
-
19by Vidal, Francis, Mrs.
Published 1850New-York : General Protestant Episcopal Sunday School Union, 1850.67 p. : ill. ; 15 cm.“...General Protestant Episcopal Sunday School Union...”
-
20Published 1934Léopoldville-Ouest, Congo Belge, London, New York, Conseil protestant du Congo; International Missionary Council [1934]1 online resource (68 p.) : (port.) plates.“...Congo Protestant Council...”
Center for Research Libraries
Online Resource